Broomfield residents explore new trash program in Colorado, pay to opt-out concerns some
On Wednesday night, crowds of people in Broomfield came to talk trash; more specifically– about the new trash program. Earlier this fall, Broomfield City Council voted to start this program and contracted with Waste Connections.
The program is generally paid as you throw– so bigger cans, mean higher prices
Broomfield Deputy Director of Public Works Alison Harvey explained, "There's a small, medium, large, and there is a different pricing structure so that people can save a lot of money by choosing the smaller cart, which requires them to recycle more."
Right now residents can use any trash company they want but the city says that will change this spring. So at an open house on Wednesday, residents went shopping for trash cans.
The result– brings pretty mixed reactions. One neighbor is excited about less truck traffic. Telling CBS News Colorado Your Broomfield Reporter Sarah Horbacewicz, "On my street alone, there are about four different services, four different days, lots of noise."
The city also says another environmental benefit to the new program is cutting down on landfill waste, expecting this program to divert 2-4% of waste.
Harvey added, "Everything we do to reduce the amount of waste we're sending to landfill is incremental in progress. There isn't one thing we can do that's going to, you know, get us 50% or even 10% so it's a bunch of initiatives that have to get stacked on top of each other."
But some residents feel their opinions are being tossed aside.
"I don't like being forced into things. And if we don't get the trash program, we have to pay a fee every month," one resident said.
Any resident outside of an HOA will have to use this program or pay that $10.50 monthly fee to opt-out, the same price as a small trash can in the program.
"The money that comes from any opt-out fees uses is used to support waste diversion efforts in the city, such as our tree branch recycling program," Harvey said.
But still, some residents have questions after the open house, one sharing, "How long are the prices going to stay this way? How long of a contract that we have to enter?"
The program is set to start as early as March 2025 but those planning to opt out, have to let the city know by Dec. 21.